Must read surf books
Kima’s recommendations
As surfers we often daze off and dream about surfing clean epic waves but what better way to add to this daydreaming than reading a book about surfing too? Many surf books offer epic and thrilling stories that bring the feeling of surfing along with them. Allowing you to experience the stoke of surfing all from the comfort of home!
Do you feel that we have missed an essential surf book? Let us know!
1. Barbarian days: a surfing life by William Finnegan
This is a must read! This is a Pulitzer Prize-winning book that takes you on an epic journey through the waves. This book perfectly captures the mix of physical and emotional dimensions surfing has to it. The story is about the life of a surfer, from when he started surfing in California to the colder Manhattan waves where he is surfing now.
This story portrays surfing as a path to self-discovery, showing that it is more than just a sport.
2. Surf is where you find it by Gerry Lopez
“Surf is where you find it: the wisdom of waves, anytime, anywhere, anyway” is a book that was written by Gerry Lopez a surfing legend. This book is a beautiful collection of stories that follow a surfer who spent his life chasing waves all over the world. Reading this helps you understand the connection between surfer and sea. This book tells stories of surfing in Hawaii in the ‘50s and ‘60s, finding Pipelines’ epic tube and finding the legendary spots of Uluwatu and G-land in Indonesia.
This book was first published in 2008 and has been relaunched by Patagonia with a fully redesigned edition with new pictures to give an extra feel to the whole story.
3. The Wave by Susan Casey
This book follows the journalist Susan Casey as she did a worldwide trip with the legendary big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton.
It’s all about the bigger waves that were once just legends but are now being ridden by surfers like Laird Hamilton. Casey takes a dive into the stories of mariners and wave scientists who never believed that surfers would be able to take on these monster waves and then the surfers who took on these waves and proved them wrong. Laird Hamilton, a legendary big wave surfer who with a group of his friends in Hawaii, figured out how to ride waves that are seventy to eighty feet. Casey followed these surfers as they worked to conquer a hundred-foot wave.
4. Da bull: life over the edge by Greg Noll
This is another story of a big wave surfer Greg Noll or “Da Bull”. This man was fearless and had an attitude of no-nonsense to surfing and just life itself. He revolutionised surfing in Australia and mastered huge waves in Waimea Bay and Outside Pipeline.
Have a read to dive into this surfer’s journey to find the biggest wave, even conquering giant waves in Makaha Point in 1969. Find out why Greg Noll still remains one the best and bravest big wave riders in the history of surfing!
5. The Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's road trip beyond the end of the road by Allan Weisbecker
In this book, you will be taken on a journey that pushes the boundaries between fiction and reality. This memoir is a recollection of stories involving drug smuggling, Mexican misadventures and a quest to find an old buddy named Captain Zero. The mission of this book is to find a long-lost surfer friend, Christopher Conner who we fear may have lost his direction. He sold everything he had and began on a surfing journey for two years from New York to the border of Panama.
This true story brings us into the life of surfers who live exotic and interesting lifestyles, showing the challenges, hope and the inevitable end of these exotic stories. Read to discover the life that some nomadic surfers live as they travel the world.
6. The history of surfing by Matt Warsaw
This book will take you on a journey through time. Read to discover the amazing evolution of surfing. Matt Washaw, a former professional surfer and editor of the surfing magazine, brings a pure passion to this beautifully crafted guide. This book took five years of dedicated research and presents us with more than 250 rare and cool photographs along with a humorous storytelling style making it a very easy read. This book is a tribute to the people that shaped surfing history as we know it.
7. Let my people go surfing by Yvon Chouinard
Have you ever wondered what the possible connection between surfing and business could be? Follow the founder of Patagonia in this book about the education of a reluctant businessman, following his journey in a way that feels more like a conversation with a friend than a business book.
Discover what it is to build a successful business in a way that respects the environment, people and the love of catching some seriously epic waves along the way. All the way from the start-up of his business in the 1960s to the creation of an iconic and responsible brand, this story is a ride through business and surf culture.
8. Women making waves: trailblazing surfers in and out of the water by Lara Einzig
This book honours the incredibly inspirational women who have made a significant impact on the surfing community. It shares the stories of women who have defied stereotypes, overcome big waves and cleared the path for upcoming female surfers. Through interviews and visuals you will see the achievements and struggles of these incredible women.
These women have all become forces to be reckoned with by overcoming gender barriers to redefine the sport. This is not a surf book like the rest we’ve mentioned but rather it is one that is a huge testament to the resilience and strength of women who have made a massive impact in and out of the water.
9. Soul surfers: a true story of faith, family, and fighting to get back on the board by Bethany Hamilton
This famous story by Bethany Hamilton is a story of resilience. At the mere age of 13, she faced a shark attack in Kauai, Hawaii and her reaction is something we can all take a lesson or two from. After her surgery her first question to the doctor was, “When can I surf again?
This is a story of courage and faith that has become a global inspiration and has marked a milestone in the growth of women’s surfing. Bethany, who wrote this incredible memoir at the age of 14 really inspires us to overcome our own challenges with determination and bravery.
10. Surf survival: the surfer’s health handbook by andrew Nathanson, Clayton Everline and Mark Renneker
This book is a practical guide that you as a surfer can use to stay fit, healthy and riding waves for a long time! This is written by experts who understand the specific needs of surfers.
A book filled with practical tips, workout routines and tips for nutrition specifically made for surfers. Reading this will ensure you catch the best waves while also taking care of your body and mind. This includes pre-surf warm-ups to post-session recovery and stretches. Get ready to start paddling out with more confidence and strength.